'Well, you see, Luke. Actually, there's something we've been keeping to ourselves. This is a good opportunity for me to confide in you.

　I was baffled by the unexpected situation, and Sylvia began to explain the situation to me, somewhat apologetically.

''You've told me before that your grandmother invites you to come to the royal capital once in a while, right?''
'Oh ...... you said that, something like that.'

　As I recall, that was shortly after Garnett left Green Hollow after receiving a call from his father in King's Landing.

'As it turns out, I haven't had a chance to get away very often. Not to make up for it, but the last time my grandmother came to a nearby town, we went out for dinner together.
I accompanied you as your bodyguard on the road. ......
Then there was an unfortunate accident, or rather a discrepancy in perception: ......

　Her grandmother Dorothea, who heads the famous Sundial Chamber of Commerce, was immediately aware of the information that I had made a courtship-like move on A-lma at the Count's evening party.

　However, they didn't know that I hadn't told Green Hollow's people about this fact - especially Sylvia - and casually mentioned it in a conversation with Sylvia.

'I'm sorry ...... grandmother wasn't expecting it either. I thought I shouldn't tell off if Luke-san is keeping it a secret, so I decided to keep it to myself with Sakura .......
I don't know what to say. It's a surprise to me.
...... No, Sylvia, Sakura, and Chairman Dorothea are not to blame for anything (anything). I simply let my guard down.

　It's not a consolation or a refrain, but rather, it's what I've been led to believe from the bottom of my heart.

　This case is nothing more than the result of my own negligence.

After doing it in public, it's only natural for word to get out. I'm sure you're not going to be able to get away with it for the time being because of the distance between the capital city and Green Hollow, but I was thinking high and might as well just keep my mouth shut and not get noticed for the time being. ...... It was a bad idea.

　As I rode into the nightclub, I took Garnett's hand, not to be seen, but rather to show off to the other guys.

　After all this, it would be strange to think that the rumors wouldn't spread through the nightclub attendees and the lateral connections from there.

　But I figured that the rumors wouldn't reach Green Hollow either, and I was going to keep them hidden until the right time, along with the various secrets.

　It's not fair to blame or hold a grudge against someone just because your guess is wrong and the rumor reaches those close to you.

　If there's anyone to blame, it's me alone.
　It's bad enough that I didn't think about the consequences and keep my mouth shut when I met with Chairman Dorothea at King's Landing.

It's not like the other hiding things, to begin with, this is a matter that has no problems even if it's exposed. It's just that we'll feel embarrassed.

　He smiles deliberately to hide his embarrassment.

　Spreading the word about the knighthood and the new knightly order is a complete leak of information and a big problem.

　The true gender of Garnett and the identity of Alma, who is supposed to be her twin sister, can never be known to others.

　However, it's an open fact among the participants of the nightclub that Alma and I have become such a part of it.

　The reason for keeping it a secret after returning to Green Hollow was purely a matter of personal feelings.

'It's not something Sylvia and the others care about, and I'd rather have to thank them for taking care of me. ......

　Casually glancing next to her, Garnett naturally moved away from the table to escape the brunt of the conversation in the name of cleaning up the overflowing herbal tea.

　He was quite quick to judge.
　As expected, it was impossible to maintain a sense of normalcy with this trend.

''Once again, congratulations indeed!''

　Sylvia popped her hand next to her smile.

'To tell you the truth, when I heard that you might be engaged to the knight leader's sister, I was worried that maybe you'd become a knight and leave town as rumored. ......
''Oh, maybe. Is that why you asked me with a serious face the other day, 'If you become a knight, will you quit your weapon shop and leave town?'

　I was in the middle of cleaning out the house and store on the morning of the day Theodore gave me the message of his call.

　Gossip about a new order of knights that might be coming to town, that I would be knighted, and other gossip that is not far off the mark, even though the evidence is as if it's off the mark, only the conclusions are not far off the mark.

　Sylvia told me of their existence and asked me if the rumors were true, would I be leaving town?

　It was a serious question right after I laughed at the rumors as just a rumor, but if the matter with Alma was in my ear, I could nod.

'But if you could have predicted it, it wouldn't have surprised you, would it?
'It's a surprise, of course!　I've hit the jackpot in imagining that maybe it will, and I'm surprised it's so fast!　And to be scouted by two knights, isn't it amazing!

　Sylvia leans over the table and gives an impassioned speech.
　Next to her, Sakura is also nodding her head vigorously.

　It seems that for the two of them, the fact that I might become a knight is only an imagination to the extent that the possibility can't be denied, and if it were true, it was a case that they couldn't help but be truly surprised.

''Then why don't you surprise him even more?

　Garnett, who had been out of his seat, came back with a rag and wiped up the herbal tea that had overflowed onto the table, casually agitating me from beside him.

　I felt pushed back to tell her to not end it here and let it all out.

'What, is there more to this?'
...... I won't go into the details, but it was decided that it wasn't a good idea for the two knights to be at odds with each other for talent. On top of that, the Golden Fang Knights wanted an organization that would serve as an intermediary between the adventurers and .......

　I take a deep breath and then confess a secret far more important than the knighthood.

''A new order of knights has been established to oversee the underground exploration of the Demon King's Castle, and I've been installed as the head of that order.

　The living room went quiet again.

　This time, both of them didn't seem to understand the meaning of my statement right away, and they reinterpreted it in turn, recalling each word and phrase--

'What, eeeeeeee!
'What?　Ki, you didn't mishear me!

　--a much louder surprise than before.

　Unlike the matter of the knightly ordination, which was more or less predictable, this one was completely unexpected.

　Both Sylvia and Sakura had black and white eyes, and Garnett looked at it with amusement.

''However, we're finally in the process of getting down to business and starting preparations. I'm sure I'm going to have a lot of trouble with the two of you from now on. ......
I'll take care of it!　If there's anything you can do for Spring Wakaba-Tei, you can count on it!
'As a swordsman and an adventurer, I will be willing to help you. If you ever need my help, please let me know.

　Receiving reliable words from both of them makes the anxiety in my heart fade even further.

　Confessing our secrets means that we have more people we can rely on.

　Until yesterday, he had only shared information with a limited number of people, but from now on, he could consult with Sylvia and Sakura to see if they could help him.

　There was no way that wasn't reassuring.
　It's like having reinforcements rushing to the front line where I was struggling alone.

　Of course, from now on, I have to repay the girls in my own way, and I'm prepared to do so.

That's all I can tell you at the moment. Thank you both for the day. "Thank you both for letting us stay at this time...

　Just as I'm about to get up to send them away, I'm suddenly forced to sit back in my chair with a heavy pressure on both of my shoulders.

　Sakura's figure has disappeared from in front of my eyes.
　Don't tell me that he was held back by [shrinking ground] and held back?

''Luke-san. Since you're here, please tell me more about it. Specifically, how you and your fiancée got along and all that!

　...... Sylvia's eyes seem to be shining tremendously.
　There was a hint of a similar reaction from Sakura behind her.

　Sheesh, I was completely caught off guard.
　I've just reaffirmed the fact that Sylvia and her friends are at an age where they are curious about such topics, didn't I just remind you of the last time this happened?

　I was dismayed that I didn't see this coming and at the same time relieved that no one else was there to help me.

It's a good idea to get ready for tomorrow's work. The three of you can talk about it at your leisure.

　Garnett tries to casually leave the battle lines again.

　Sylvia's carefree smile was thrown on her back.

''That's good, Garnett-san.
'Huh? ...... Huh?　What do you mean it was good?
'It's about your sister. Please give her my regards.
...... Oh, hey.

　To Garnett, who is blatantly impatient, Sylvia continues to smile at her with a smirk.

　The sister (...)'s (..) love advice that Garnett had approached her before - did Sylvia remember that properly, and was she going to give her congratulations after also guessing that the other party was me?

　Or actually - no, no way, I would like to think that is indeed not the case.

　I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make the most out of your time in the event that you're in a position to do so.